Life Sciences Commons^™

Turtle Creek Tree Restoration Project, Rebecca Beneroff, Risa Kanefsky, Max Dicerbo, Pj Newhart, Amanda Mitchell

Final Reports in ENST 411: Environmental Community Projects

Over the course of this project our group members Rebecca, Max, PJ, Amanda, and Risa worked closely with Jim Knight and Brian Auman from Turtle Creek Park to help research, plan, and execute a tree transplanting event that would be efficiently implemented and environmentally sound. This work involved extensive preparatory work in the park including soil testing, bare leaf tree identification, tree and shrub species characterization, and recommendation. The entire process was rooted in the most up to date literature and scientific practices surrounding bare root tree nurseries, existing land management plans, invasive species and public park management, ecological succession, …

Tropical Forest Soil Microbiome Modulates Leaf Heat Tolerance More Strongly Under Warming Than Ambient Conditions, Gabriela Hernandes Villani, Iana F. Grullón-Penkova, Parker Bartz, Joel Masanga, Jesse R. Lasky, Molly A. Cavaleri, Tana E. Wood, Benedicte Bachelot

Michigan Tech Publications

It is unclear how plants respond to increasing temperatures. Leaf heat tolerance (LHT) is often at its upper limit in tropical forests, suggesting that climate change might negatively impact these forests. We hypothesized that intraspecific variation in LHT might be associated with changes in the soil microbiome, which might also respond to climate. We hypothesized that warming would increase LHT through changes in the soil microbiome: we combined an in situ tropical warming experiment with a shade house experiment in Puerto Rico. The shade house experiment consisted of growing seedlings of Guarea guidonia, a dominant forest species, under different soil …

Empowering Precision Agriculture With The Internet Of Things, Artificial Intelligence, And Robotics, Adarsha Neupane, Vidya Samadi

Forestry and Natural Resources

As the global population grows, agriculture faces increasing demands for higher productivity and sustainability. The incorporation of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics is revolutionizing farming by improving efficiency, enhancing decision-making, and promoting sustainability through optimized resource use. This publication provides insights into the implementation of these smart farming solutions and their benefits for farmers, crop consultants, and stakeholders. It also addresses the challenges of adopting these technologies, highlighting their crucial role in meeting future food demands sustainably.

Proceedings Of The 12th Research Symposium At Mammoth Cave National Park, Pat Kambesis Editor, Lee Anne Bledsoe Editor, Ana K. Celis Editor

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Proceedings of the 12th Research Symposium at Mammoth Cave National Park: Celebrating 100 Years of Scientific Research & Resource Management in the Mammoh Cave Region.

Climate Constrains The Enhancement Of Co2 Fertilization On Forest Gross Primary Productivity, Xinyuan Wei, Daniel J. Hayes, Christopher R. Schwalm, Joshua B. Fisher, Deborah N. Huntzinger, Lei Ma, Rodrigo Vargas, Nathaniel A. Brunsell

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Forest gross primary production (GPP) is influenced by the interplay between climate conditions and atmospheric CO₂ levels, which interact in complex ways, generating both compensating and amplifying effects. In this study, eddy covariance flux measurements from 50 forest ecosystems were integrated with simulations from 14 terrestrial biosphere models to investigate how climate conditions and atmospheric CO₂ concentrations regulate forest GPP. This approach bridges site-level observations with biome-scale model estimates to develop a global understanding. Our findings suggest that in boreal and cold temperate regions, temperature primarily constrains the enhancement of the CO₂ fertilization on forest GPP; however, …

Monitoring Mangrove Dynamics And Evaluating Future Afforestation Potential In The Egyptian Red Sea, Rasha M. Abou Samra, Mansour Almazroui, Wenzhao Li, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Mangrove forests are vital for ecosystem services and coastal management but face stressors from anthropogenic activities and climate change. This study estimates the extent and afforestation potential of mangroves along the Egyptian Red Sea coast from 1984 to 2022 using NDVI derived from Landsat-5 and Sentinel-2 data in Google Earth Engine. Aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB), carbon (C) stock, and CO₂ sequestration potential were evaluated using Sentinel-2 and elevation data. Future afforestation suitability (2020–2050) under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios was assessed with the MaxEnt model. Mangrove area increased from 0.95 km² in 1984 to 1.46 km^{2 …}

Growing Confidence: Women Forest Landowner Workshops In Georgia, Neil R. Dingley Jr., Nicholas E. Fuhrman, Kris Irwin, Elizabeth Mccarty

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The number of female forest landowners (FFLs) has been growing throughout the United States. This growth demands educational outreach for a demographic that is often behind their male counterparts in experience and education. The purpose of this exploratory study was to design and host educational workshops geared towards FFLs and to answer the following questions using quantitative and qualitative methods: (1) Are the workshops changing FFLs’ confidence in land management? (2) What are FFLs’ intentions after attending workshops? (3) Does confidence or participants’ intentions with their land vary with demographics? (4) Are workshops providing a platform to start FFL social …

Climate Resilience In Texas Assessing The Impact Of Extreme Weather On Energy Poverty And The Mitigating Role Of Tree Canopy Coverage, Yongwen Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Extreme weather events, including severe heat and cold waves —increasingly threaten public health, economic stability, and energy equity. This two-part study examines the interplay between extreme weather, energy poverty, and green infrastructure (tree canopy coverage) in Texas, a state characterized by climatic extremes and socioeconomic diversity.

This study consists of four chapters. The first chapter in the Introduction includes the research background, existing research, research gaps, research questions, and potential contributions. Followed by two core chapters. Chapter II aims to assess the impact of extreme weather on energy poverty at the household level. Chapter III aims to identify whether tree …

The Forest Through The Trees: Modeling The Ecological Niche And Potential Assemblage Distribution Of Oak-Hickory Forests Across The Eastern U.S., Elijah Worley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how tree species’ ranges and populations may shift by the end of the 21^st Century is critical for effective conservation and forest management. Ecological niche models are widely used to predict species distributions by modeling the relationships between environmental variables and species presence. While numerous models have been developed for individual tree species across the USA, there is limited research on how tree species assemblages, such as oak-hickory forests, will respond to changes in climate over time. Maxent modeling software was used to predict potential shifts in suitable habitat for the oak-hickory forest type, based on environmental variables …

Soil-Based Emissions And Context-Specific Climate Change Planning To Support The United Nations (Un) Sustainable Development Goal (Sdg) On Climate Action: A Case Study Of Georgia (Usa), Davis G. Nelson

All Theses

Soil-based emissions from land conversions are often overlooked in climate planning. The objectives of this study were to use quantitative data on soil-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the state of Georgia (GA) (USA) to examine context-specific (temporal, biophysical, economic, and social) climate planning and legal options to deal with these emissions. Currently, 30% of the land in GA has experienced anthropogenic land degradation (LD) primarily due to agriculture (64%). All seven soil orders were subject to various degrees of anthropogenic LD. Increases in overall LD between 2001 and 2021 indicate a lack of land degradation neutrality (LDN) in GA. …

Impact Of Invasive Pine Trees And Their Ectomycorrhizal Fungi Symbionts Upon The Properties And Functions Of Soils In Southern Hemisphere Eucalyptus Forests, Jack T. Baker

Honors Theses

P. radiata trees are invading Southern Hemisphere Eucalyptus forests within New Zealand and southeastern Australia, resulting in a novel codominant forest system. This codominant invasion is unique relative to other pine invasions throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) play an important role in all pine invasions and are found within each instance of invasion. The impact of ectomycorrhizal fungi and Pinus trees upon the properties of the soil within Eucalyptus forests is not very well studied nor understood. Our study sought to provide insight into the implications of this invasion upon the soil, and consequently the ecosystem as …

Considerations And Techniques For Producing Urban Tree Canopy Maps Using Freely Available And Accessible Methods, Hugh Reed Ellerman

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Urban forests are valued as green infrastructure for the variety of benefits they provide across ecological, social, public health, and economic domains. To understand the distribution of trees, maps are required. Many methods of mapping tree cover use expensive and data-intensive datasets such as hyperspectral and LiDAR imagery, making these methods inaccessible to municipal forest managers. Variations in the modelling approaches of existing, freely available methods are not addressed in sufficient enough detail to understand the trade-offs implicit in these variations. Further, characteristics of urban tree canopy mapping (high spatial resolution imagery, heterogeneous urban environments, the importance of the tree …

Patterns Of Fire History And Vegetation Changes In The Last 5000 Years: A Paleoecological Study Of Iquitos, Annabel Zwarts

Theses and Dissertations

The vegetation of the Amazonian rainforest is hypothesized to have been shaped by pre-Columbian activities, such as burning and palm management to various extents. Management of palms is hypothesized to have caused some of the most useful species to become hyperdominant in Amazonia. This study investigated the extent to which human activities over the past 5000 years affected palm abundances in mature lowland rainforests near Iquitos, Peru. I used phytoliths and charcoal from soil cores to determine the history of local floras, and modern palm surveys to compare modern phytolith occurrence with modern vegetation. Because pre-Columbian activity clustered along the …

Bridging Social And Ecological Science To Create Spatially Explicit Models Of Human-Caused Mortality Of Carnivores, Jeremy T. Bruskotter, Neil H. Carter, Richard Berl, Joseph Hinton, Jazmin Murphy, L Mark Elbroch, John A. Vucetich

Michigan Tech Publications

Research indicates that human-caused mortality (HCM) is a key factor limiting numerous large carnivore populations. However, efforts to represent HCM in spatially explicit models have generally been limited in scope-often relying on proxies, such as road or human density. Yet such efforts fail to distinguish different sources of HCM, which can arise from different antecedent processes. We offer a systems-based conceptual framework for understanding the antecedents of HCMs that is grounded in theory from the social and behavioral sciences. Specifically, we first explain how HCMs are usefully distinguished into four types (e.g., accidental, harvest, illicit, control actions), then discuss how …

Estimated Amounts Of Terrestrial Carbon Mobilized And Sequestered By The 1980 Mount St. Helens Eruption, Washington State, Usa, Lizzet G. Reyes

Dissertations and Theses

Volcanic eruptions significantly influence the geologic carbon cycle by emitting CO₂ and mobilizing terrestrial carbon pools. The 1980 Mount St. Helens (MSH) eruption offers a unique case study, triggering a massive landslide that displaced 2.7 km³ of sediment, buried 600 km² of forest, and disrupted regional carbon dynamics. Pre-eruption terrestrial carbon stocks, including aboveground biomass (AGB), dead biomass (D), and soil organic carbon (S), averaged 209.5 tC/ha. Post-eruption, total carbon density fell to 118.7 tC/ha, driven mainly by a 51% reduction in AGB, modest declines in D, and redistribution of S. Over 36 years, ecosystem recovery increased …

Below-Ground Carbon Gradients Surrounding Saskatchewan's Native Agricultural Copses, Andrea V. Cline, Colin P. Laroque

Aspen Bibliography

As carbon markets develop, understanding the carbon storage capabilities of agricultural land is imperative to maximizing carbon storage. Ecosystems store two-thirds of their carbon below ground. Shrubland and shelterbelt carbon storage have been well documented in agricultural settings, yet little is known about the carbon stored under the native woody vegetation scattered across the Prairies. This study aims to be the first to quantify the below-ground carbon under and around these native trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) copses in the Canadian Prairies. For this study, the leaf, fibric, humic layer (LFH) and soil samples up to 60cm were collected …

Sustainable Forage Yield Improvement Through Perennial Grass–Legume Intercropping In Degraded Grasslands, Alina-Ștefania Stanciu

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Grasslands constitute one of the largest terrestrial biomes, providing essential ecosystem services such as biodiversity preservation, food production, and climate change mitigation. Globally, the desertification and degradation of grasslands have been accelerated by intensified land use and climate change. It is crucial to conserve and restore grasslands to address climate and biodiversity challenges. However, due to their diverse nature and undervalued benefits for humans, grasslands have often been overlooked in terms of preservation, conservation, and restoration compared to forests. In sustainable agriculture, intercropping grasses with legumes can enhance crop nutritional quality, increase productivity, and impact soil microbiological activity, ultimately leading …

Silage Yield And Quality Of Different Grass Pea (Lathyrus Sativus L.) Genotypes, Murat Azak, Erdem Gülümser

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

This study aimed to determine the silage yield and quality of different 12 grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) genotypes (Gap Mavisi, İptaş, Karadağ, 1603, 2006, 2401, 4301, 4403, 5001, 6408, 6410, and S3). The trial was established in Bilecik’s ecological conditions in 2022 and 2023. It was carried out according to the randomized block design with four replications, and the plants were harvested at the full flowering stage. The harvested plants were chopped to 2 cm in size and ensiled in vacuum bags and left to ferment at 25 ± 2 °C for 45 days. The silage yield, pH, dry …

Effect Of Different Mulch Materials Applications On Weed Control, Plant Characteristics, And Yield In Garlic (Allium Sativum L.), Ayşe Usanmaz Bozhüyük

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

This study was conducted in plots under controlled conditions in the Silvan district of Diyarbakır Province in 2023. The local garlic genotype (Allium sativum L.) from Diyarbakır was used as the plant material. Three different organic mulching materials (sawdust, pine, and straw) were applied at a thickness of 5 cm. The effects of these mulching materials on leaf number, root length, plant height, number of cloves per plant, plant density, bulb diameter, dry and fresh weight of garlic, dry and fresh weight of weeds, weed density, and yield were analysed. A total of 34 weed species from 15 families were …

Appraisal Of Germination Behavior And Activity In Newly Developed Rice Lines, Muhammad Usman Akbar, Muhammad Aqeel, Maryam M. Alomran, Ijaz Haider, Omar Mahmoud Al-Zoubi, Ali Noman

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Rice is a fundamental food source for more than half of the global population. This study evaluated the germination capacity of four rice lines [Sakh (V1), Campena (V2), Kharamana (V3), and Binicol (V5)] and one local variety, KSK-282 (V5). The findings revealed significant differences in the germination attributes among the rice lines. V1 and V3 showed superior germination performance, while V5 consistently exhibited the lowest values. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) across multiple parameters, including the coefficient of velocity of germination (CVG), germination index, mean germination rate (MGR), and synchronization index. A significant …

Digital Image Processing In Determining The Degree Of Turnip Yellows Virus Infection In Oilseed Rape, Alina-Ștefania Stanciu, Teodor Rusu, Alin Cristian Teușdea, Olimpia Smaranda Mintaș, Mihai Marcel Cărbunar, Cristian Oneț

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

In agricultural crops, leaves play crucial roles in plant physiology, providing information on both the quantity and quality of future production. They also serve as indicators for diagnosing foliar diseases. Detecting plant diseases through image reading and computer vision in a specific format allows for both quantitative and qualitative studies, which is a key step in diagnosing diseases using images of leaves exhibiting symptoms specific to a pathogen. In this study, we present an approach that integrates digital image processing to assess the extent of turnip yellows virus (genus Polerovirus, family Solemoviridae) infection in oilseed rape. This study focuses on …

Seasonal Dynamics Of Biomass Productivity, Combustion Quality, And Nutrient Translocation In Bulbous Canary Grass (Phalaris Aquatica L.) In A Semiarid Mediterranean Environment, Recep İrfan Nazli, Mi̇hrab Polat, Asi̇ye Sena Çavdar, Veyi̇s Tansi

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

In order to achieve sustainable biomass production from perennial grasses, seasonal changes in biomass yield, combustion quality, and nutrient translocation need to be monitored in detail. In this study, the effects of six distinct disruptive harvests (November, January, March, May, July, and September) on the dry biomass yield, ash, moisture, and mineral contents, as well as the composition of the cell walls and the translocation of nutrients in bulbous canary grass, were investigated in a semiarid Mediterranean climate. The September harvest significantly reduced aboveground ash and mineral contents, while their contents in belowground biomass exhibited a significantly increasing trend from …

From Ancient Wisdom To Modern Medicine: The Cultural And Therapeutic Significance Of Ficus Carica L. (Moraceae) Extracts In Colorectal Cancer Treatment, Esra Hacimüftüoğlu, Azizeh Shadidizaji, Kağan Tolga Ci̇ni̇sli̇, Songül Karakaya

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Figs, mentioned in the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran, are of historical and cultural significance and have been used for medical treatment, prompting extensive research. Colorectal cancer (CRC), the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, is expected to significantly increase in terms of mortality rates by 2035, with its progression closely linked to inflammatory processes. Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), an enzyme encoded by the Ptgs2 gene, plays a key role in these processes by converting arachidonic acid into prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a mediator of inflammation. In the present study, the potential of natural antiinflammatory compounds, specifically fumaric acid and …

Erratum To “Coriander (Coriandrum Sativum L.) Diversity Analysis: Insights From Germplasm Resources Leading To Crop Improvement”[Turkish Journal Of Agriculture And Forestry 48 (6) 2024 876-887], Amit Baran Sharangi, Solanki Bal, Anirban Maji, Tarun Kumar Upadhyay, Reem Binsuwaidan, Nawaf Alshammari, Nadiyah M. Alabdallah, Adesh Kolapkar, Mohd Saeed

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

We hereby issue this erratum to address a concern regarding the affiliation section in the manuscript titled “Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) diversity analysis: insights from germplasm resources leading to crop improvement.” A correction is issued regarding the affiliation detail in the originally published manuscript. The affiliation number for the ninth author, Mohd SAEED, was listed as 7, whereas it should have been 6. To amend this, the affiliation section in the manuscript has been revised as follows:

Link to the original article: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/agriculture/vol48/iss6/6/

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

No abstract provided.

Early Survival And Growth Of Haloxylon Ammodendron Seedlings Under Irrigation In Arid Southern Tajikistan, Jieun Ahn, Gaeun Kim, Heejae Jo, Jieun Park, Youngjin Lee, Woo-Kyun Lee, Asia Khamzina, Yowhan Son

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Understanding plant drought responses is crucial for effective afforestation in drylands. This study aimed to investigate the effects of irrigation (31.25 mm seedling–1 every 45 days) on the early survival and growth of 3-month-old Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings at an afforestation site established in Tajikistan in 2021. In July 2022 and June 2023, surveys were conducted to compare seedling survival rates, height, root collar diameter (RCD), stem volume per unit area, and height-to-RCD ratio between irrigation (IR) and nonirrigation (NIR) treatments. The IR treatment increased survival rates in 2022 but not in 2023. By 2023, the IR treatment had increased the …

Adapting To Climate Change In Semiarid Regions Via Conservation Measures: Climate-Smart Crop Rotations Of Food Legumes In Cool Seasons, Velibor Spalevic, Mohsen Janmohammadi, Naser Sabaghnia, Shuraik Kader

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The high potential of evapotranspiration, unsuitable soil conditions, irregular distribution of rainfall, and ineffective techniques of soil moisture conservation are among the limitations of semiarid regions of Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA), and they have intensified during recent decades with climate change. CWANA’s agroecosystems are fragile and highly vulnerable to the consequences of global warming and aggravation of water scarcity, and need to redefine agroclimatic zoning. Winter cereals are the predominant crops in the region of CWANA. The highest amount of cultivation is allocated to societies with dominant rainfed agriculture, which is often not economically profitable. The …

Remote Sensing Estimation Of Forest Ecosystem Service Values, Yu Zhang, Zhichao Guo, Guoshuang Tian, Minghua Lei

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

A precise estimation of the value of forest ecosystem services (FESVs) has become essential due to the growing significance of the influence of global climate change on them. The primary objective of this study was to enhance the precision of forest service value monitoring and evaluation, thereby providing a scientific foundation for the promotion of sustainable forest resource management and ecological civilization construction. The study presented a remote sensing estimation (RSE) technique that combined time series characterization (TSC) and double-logistic regression (DLR) in order to achieve this. Through the integration of TSC analysis and a substantial amount of remote sensing …

Assessment Of Chlorophyll Levels In Navel Oranges Based On Remote Sensing Images Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Hu Li, Shijiang Zhu, Wen Xu, Zhongyong Yang, Xinbo Liu, Weiqi Zhang

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The swift, effective, and noninvasive assessment of citrus chlorophyll levels is important for the timely diagnosis of citrus growth status, and the decision-making of orchard management. In this study, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with multispectral remote sensing imagery were applied to the mandarin orange, through which five vegetation indices [Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer Terrestrial Chlorophyll Index (MTCI), Red-edge Chlorophyll Index (CIre), Nitrogen Reflectance Index (NRI), Red, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)], which better reflect citrus photosynthetic activity and productivity, were screened. The stepwise linear regression (SLR) method, support vector machine (SVM) regression method, and radial basis function neural network …

A Yolov7-Based Robotic Harvesting System For Agaricus Bisporus Using A Depth Camera, Fengwu Zhu, Weijian Zhang, Zhida Li, Tianshi Gao, Qinglai Zhao

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

To achieve accurate detection of button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus), a harvesting method based on the Robot Operating System (ROS) is proposed. This method combines a convolutional neural network named YOLO (You Only Look Once), a depth camera, and a robotic arm working in coordination. The system integrates advanced image recognition capabilities with the robotic arm to improve harvesting efficiency and accuracy. To enhance the model’s detection accuracy while considering the lightweight requirements for mobile deployment, several modules were incorporated into the You Only Look Once (YOLO)v7 network. Experimental results showed that the improved YOLOv7 network increased the average detection accuracy …